boogerwolf

We were on the same cruise. First time with NCL.

You must have gotten to the port very early because after about 11:30 it got bad. We got to the port about noon and it took us an hour and 45 minutes to board.

My thoughts are the same as yours about the ship layout. I hated it. They needed two more banks of elevators. There's no center atrium or promenade which helps in navigating a ship. I didn't mind the layout of the room but wished the water closet was bigger.

But the food and entertainment was some of the best I've had on any cruise ship (mind you we've only been on three cruises). Moderno is amazing and Cirque Dreams was phenomenal. The Garden Cafe was cruise ship good and O'Sheehan's was meh.

I'll sail NCL again. Probably won't sail Epic again.

Shared shuttles from PC to MCO should cost you about $20-25 per person. UberX will be about $70+

 

What time is your return flight? Unless it departs after about 1:30-2:00 I would not bother with a one-way car rental -- just use a shuttle or Uber

Return flight is whenever we get to the airport (we fly stand-by) so we are flexible that way.

I’ll look into shuttles. Any recommendations?

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We will be renting a car and doing the one-way thing before the cruise but have to figure out how to get back to MCO post cruise.

The options as I see them are Uber/Lyft, traditional taxi, car service or shuttle. It’s just two of us and we will be flying back home the same day as debarkation.

What are the cost and convenience differences for all these options?

Thanks in advance

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My wife and I will be sailing Symphony in October, starting out in Barcelona. We are from the US.

Started early last year deciding between itineraries and ships. Then the Symphony itineraries were announced.

Our decision priority was ports first then ships. This is our first time in Europe and the ports seem to give a nice slice of everything except beaches (no big deal, we have FL and the Caribbean for that).

We know we will not be able to see all that the Symphony has to offer. But it’s a very nice preview while we take in the ports that this itinerary has to offer. And when she gets to our side of the world we’ll cruise her again to really “wring” her out.

In other words, Symphony is icing on the cake. The ports are the cake.

As far as cost, we booked her very early (at announcement time). Honestly, I would not book this cruise now or even last October as the fares seemed to have gone through the roof.

Always pays to book as early as possible.

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I bring them all! I physically bring my passport and drivers license, but have scanned in Drivers license, passport and BC and send them to me as an email attachment on each trip. Never had to use them and think it is like having jumper cables for a car. If you have them, you never need them.

 

 

 

Would like to learn where you get a passport card though.

I did the same. I scanned all of our documents (passport, BC, marriage) and then uploaded them to the cloud.

Good idea about emailing to yourself. That way you have them in the event you don't have cellular or wifi to retrieve them. Will download them to my phone before next cruise.

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We sailed Enchantment in 2013 for our 20th. It was also our first cruise. We had a fantastic time. Since then we've sailed on the Brilliance (which I dig because of the ocean views from seemingly everywhere) during Christmas. Comparing the two, there are definately things about both we love. Our experience on the Enchantment was better but that had more to do with us than the ship.

We are sailing Enchantment again this October and then Symphony in the Med next year for our 25th. Like was stated above don't know if I'll be a fan of the Oasis class with it being so large. But we'll see.

Courtyard by Marriott on A1A (Atlantic Ave) in Cocoa Beach is nice and reasonable. Short pathway access to the beach, nice sized pool.

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SO LET ME UNDERSTAND THIS:

There are TWO cabana areas now?

If I'm reading this thread correctly there is:

1) Cabanas that are near to (but roped off) the "gen pop" beach, tender area but on a rocky shore? And...

2) New cabanas that look slightly smaller next to the cabanettes on the somewhat secluded side of Coco Cay with a shallow beach? (BTW, thanks CruiseNAngie for the pics of the new joints).

IF that is correct then the new cabanas next to the cabanettes would be a "yea" to me. Think about it. It is slightly cheaper, has a real beach and are away from the masses. You still get the cabana BBQ and a tram ride back to the port area.

Did the cabanette back in 2013 on our first cruise on the Enchantment. We were looking forward to doing it again next year when we sail on the Majesty.

That sucks! Hoping that it's still at least separated from "gen pop". That was a highlight on our cruise. The best $50 I've spent.

I wonder why the change?

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I appreciate everyone's comments! I think we're just gonna stick with it regardless of rcc not willing to live up to what they advertise and what their selling properly on the site. I did want to mention rcc only reply was that on their site are things they say that the rooms aren't as pictured, I didn't see that at ALL. They were willing to send me pictures of what that particular rooms looks like in person. Not sure what that would solve. He said that's all he could give me [emoji19]. So I'm not gonna let this ruin our honeymoon and still continue with my excitement! Also, thank you all for the congratulations. If I came off crabby, I apologize. They really ruffled me with that response so I was pretty much done with everything at that point. Happy cruising!

 

 

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Cool!

Yeah, just enjoy each other and don't sweat the small stuff. You'll have a stone cold blast.

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Desinico, yo check it, put all of that in your rearview.

As has been said previous the cabin you have is a decent cabin. You will enjoy the hell out of it because you will be in vacation/honeymoon/cruise mode. And on the real, there are less-than idea cabins you could have booked. For a first timer you dun good.

My wife and I took our first cruise three years ago. We hadn't taken a real vacation before that cruise and we'd been married twenty years (our honeymoon after jumpin' the broom: going back to our apartment. No pot or window if you are pick up what I'm putting down)! We are now planning a Mediterranean cruise for our 25th in 2018.

Yeah, I can dig it. You don't want to feel like you got taken. But the most important thing at this point is that you have a fun and relaxing time. None of this minutiae of the "how" will matter in twenty years. The "why" will be tremendously more.

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My wife and I rented a cabanette on our first cruise back in 2013. Just checking to see if that was still offered as we will be on the Majesty next October.

The cabanettes/clamshells are the best value going! Bluegirlum's experience pretty much sums up how we were treated three years ago. And Linda was our attendant then too!

Great to hear that RCI still gives you an option on Coco Cay to separate yourself from gen pop.

Was there the day after Christmas. No music. [emoji1474]

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Just wondering if you pre-booked the snorkeling or added it on once you got there? We also are arriving with several ships in port -- 7! -- and really would like to do a snorkel tour.

 

Thanks!

 

 

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We did not pre-book the snorkeling. While chilling on the beach a young guy came over and offered us the additional services (massages, snorkeling, etc).

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Nachi Cocom was going to be my suggestion.

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While waiting I saw this on the TV screen down on deck 1 waiting to back for Ethan's shirts: Note, I did not see any of these type of chairs with the "clam shell". I have only seen these at Half Moon Cay on Carnival's island.

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Those clamshell are available on Coco Cay. They are located on a quiet beach on the other side of the island. It's not remote but a tram ride is available to them. The cabanettes (as the clamshells are called) are booked on embarkation day for $50 (at least that's how much they were in 2013 when we sailed the Enchantment). It was the best money we spent on the cruise. You get the cabanette, towels (no schlepping them off the ship), floaties, a plate of fresh fruit, two large bottles of water, your own bar (that takes your SeaPass), an attendant and (best of all) a semi-secluded quiet beach. You get a ride to and from the main grill during lunch too.

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We stayed at the Hampton Inn Ybor City the night before our Christmas cruise. We got in at about 1 AM. Booked it as a stay and cruise, parking at the hotel. Shuttle starts running at 8:30AM.

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Thanks for the review.

 

 

 

Did you tip your waiter?

Yes. I tipped him. And $20 sounds like a good starting point.

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We were on the Brilliance and was docked next to you in Cozumel. Was very impressed with the Indy. Also recorded your dock runners:

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Are they still doing an aerial show in the Centrum? I haven't seen mention of it lately.

No. Saw the cables though.

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I watched the pier runner video and see that they appeared to be carrying wet towels. Just a couple more "yes" votes and I will make room in the luggage for the snorkeling gear.

It had JUST finished raining thus the wetter towels.

Nice review, thank you. I have a question; what did you think of the water temperature at Nachi Cocum? And where are you from, as a point of reference? (Floridians sometimes have a different standard of "warm".) We will be in Cozumel on Saturday and keep changing our minds about having a beach day. At this point, we have not packed a beach bag, snorkel gear, etc., but we hate to miss a beach opportunity.

We live in Atlanta and are from So. California. The water seemed to be warm.

As far as snorkeling at Nachi, I believe you can self-snorkel but the snorkeling that they offer is off a boat in a deeper portion off the beach. I did not snorkel but my 17 year old son and SIL did and enjoyed it. Here is my full review of Nachi:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2293216

Yes, Nachi as been discussed over and over here. So let's put this one on the "highly recommend" pile. Sorry, no pics as I was there to chill the hell out and try my damnedest to get inebriated. There are plenty of pics on Trip Advisor and this-here board that properly reflect what I saw.

Also, a thank-you to those that put up with a my questions. And thank you to all on this here board that have reviewed or recommended this resort.

Was on the Brilliance for a Christmas cruise with my wife, 17 year-old son and sister-in-law. Wanted some place away from the crowds as there were to be five ships docked on the island the day we arrived. Nachi fit the bill.

We disembarked at the International Pier. After running the maze of trinket sellers we made our way to the taxi stand.

(Quick aside: big-ups to the Cozumelians for setting the price of the taxi fares. No haggling or confusion. You walk up and the fare is on a board to where ever your destination happens to be. I'm all for negotiating a good deal but cabs should be a no-brainer. And they are in Cozumel.)

Quick 10 minute drive south and we were at the gates to Nachi. We were greeted by a nice woman who took our picture (which we did not purchase) and led us inside to settle up on the remainder of our balance. DO bring a printout of your reservation BTW.

We arrived by about 11 AM. Again, thinking with five ships in port it would be at the 100 person capacity. Not so and even better. It may have been 25-30 people there all day. We were shown to a palapa with four lounges under it. Our server (whose name embarrassingly escapes me) tended to us thoroughly.

The beach is shallower than I'm use to but not an issue at all. The sand was white and clean. No rocks, trash or seaweed to be seen. The water was perfect.

There was a wedding happening the day we were there. And on top of that a surprise proposal between two people in the wedding party!

My son and SIL took advantage of snorkeling ($38 each). They had a great time and said the staff was helpful and professional. My wife received a 1/2 massage ($40).

The food was great. The ceviche and salsa was some of the best I've had. Ordered the grouper menuiere based on a recommendation from the next palapa over. It did not disappoint. My son had the seafood soup and my wife and SIL played it safe with enchiladas and fajitas. The guacamole was also great. Order the cheesecake. You'll thank me later.

The drinks are a little watered down. I expected as much. I started with beer and worked my way to mixed drinks.

The pool was nice. I didn't use it but I did use the large hot tub. Much larger than the small people cauldrons on the ships.

Cab ride back was just as easy as the one there.

All in all WELL worth the $55 fee if you want a quiet relaxing beach lay-about.

Here are a few pictures. Nothing earth-shattering. Was too much in the moment to really care to take some shots.

And here is a video I took of some dock runners. We were docked with the Independence of the Seas. Everyone on the Brilliance made it back on time. Not so on the Indy.

Docked next to the Indy in Cozumel

A pano of the Indy from the Brilliance

The Christmas decorated centrum

I didn't want to do a day-by-day review of our cruise on the Brilliance of the Seas like I did with the Enchantment from 2013. So I'm only going to hit the high spots and post a few pictures and a link to a dock runner video from the dock in Cozumel. But first, some overall general info.

We (me, the wife, my son and sister-in-law) enjoyed ourselves. It was our second cruise and my son and SIL's first. We were in separate D2 balcony cabins. The cruise was out of Tampa and sailed to Cozumal, our only port from 12/24 to 12/28. If you have specific questions I'll be more than happy to answer them.

-Service was excellent from waitstaff to room attendants.

-You REALLY can see the ocean from seemingly everywhere on the ship including the elevators. Something I think RCCL should incorporate into all their ships going forward.

-Embarkation was fast and easy. We arrived at approximately 11 AM. I was fully prepared to stand in long lines as this was a full cruise. From curbside to poolside in 20 minutes. Falling out of a boat easy (pun intended).

-The Windjammer food was mediocre at most times with a few standouts. The standouts being the chicken dishes (all of them were good no matter how they were cooked), hot dogs, mashed potatoes and build-your-own pizza. The word "institutional" comes to mind with some of the other menu offerings with the eggs being the worst offenders. I did not go hungry and I did not have a terrible meal but all of us in our party thought the food could have been more flavorful. Also, it seems like the desserts were all made with diabetics and those with dietary needs in mind.

-I REALLY wanted to try Rita's Cantina. However it did not seem to be staffed most nights. I also didn't see a menu for it. I suspect that it wasn't staffed due to lack of demand. I think it may have something to do with its location, in between the Windjammer and the (very beautiful) aft dinning patio deck. It's in a transitory location, which in theory should help with business. But if you have a complimentary dinning option right in front of a for-pay option most times passengers will already have a plate of food. AND to compound that there is but one sign for Rita's. Essentially no one knows where it is. And when you do find out it just seems strange.

-The aft patio behind the Windjammer became our go-to spot to eat when the Windjammer got full.

-Ate in the MDR for dinner one night (formal night to be exact). Amazingly everyone dressed the part. No jeans, t-shirts or athletic shoes. The food was ok to good. Service was outstanding as it was busy (even at 8 PM) and our waitstaff handled it with aplomb.

-The seas where a little choppy. Being only the second time I've cruised I thought it odd so I asked some Diamond and Diamond Plus cruisers if this was normal (The last cruise we took, the Enchantment out of PC was glass smooth). Was told this was not normal but it could have been worse. By day three the seasick bags were out on the stairs all around the ship. I'm a hearty bastard that doesn't use motion sickness meds so I was fine. My wife used a patch and was OK until the third day.

-Activities were the standard RCCL fare with modifications for Christmas. The crew did an excellent job with decorating the ship and keeping the festivities going.

-Ate at Chops for the first time. Did not disappoint. Would I pay $35 per person on land for what we had? I do not know. I'm not a meat snob and I left full and happy. Service was excellent.

-There were times that the ship felt full (trying to get an elevator) and times where it didn't. Most times it didn't feel like it was at capacity. A testament to the ship's design I suppose.

-Cozumel was fantastic. Mainly because we went to Nachi Cocom. Will post a review of it in the Ports of Call section. Suffice to say if you want peaceful with good food and some activities then Nachi is your spot.